Twaal Lake in Thompson-Nicola Regional District: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Twaal Lake sits in Thompson-Nicola Regional District, out in British Columbia. The bank gives way to rolling bush. At 2 hectares it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. It is a small entry by Thompson-Nicola Regional District standards. Nearest place of any size is Ashcroft, 19 km away. Further out sit Cache Creek (27 km) and Lillooet (40 km). It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Twaal Lake

  Depth is unmeasured here, so let the shoreline guide you. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Public occurrence data for Thompson-Nicola Regional District names Chinook salmon, sockeye salmon, Coho salmon and rainbow trout. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. On Twaal Lake the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 15°C at the top of summer and -6°C at the bottom of winter. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. The open season starts with the thaw, near enough early April. The season between ice runs from about early April to late November. The middle of summer slows a little, with dawn and dusk carrying it. The season on Twaal Lake rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. There is no mapped parking or launch nearby, which keeps numbers down. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Venables Lake sits 4.4 km off and takes the overflow. Check the position on Twaal Lake before loading the car.